TOUR selection

In order to guarantee quality of services for TOUR participants, the expert committee will only invite chosen teams to the kick-off event and Start:up weekend with the DEMO evening. The teams will be invited if they meet the minimum entry requirements (at least 15 out of 30 points) in line with the following assessment criteria:

1. Assessment of the team's potential and competence (maximum number of points = 10)
The leader of the startup team has a clear vision for covering key fields of startup development, namely development (engineering part), design (form and use of the product) and marketing (sales skills and knowledge). The team members show a high level of commitment to realizing the project.

2. Identifying the problem / needs on the market (maximum number of points = 5)
The startup has clearly identified the problem/need of the target group and they can solve it with their product/service.

3. The solution, unique value proposition, unfair advantage (maximum number of points = 5)
The startup has a clearly worked-out idea and well-developed minimum product or service characteristics.

4. Customer segment and channels (maximum number of points = 5)
Startup has a clear idea about the segments of potential customers.

5. Development stage (maximum number of points = 5)
The startup has developed a prototype, carried out testing with the target public or made any other pilot research for their product/service.

Gala kick-off event

The gala kick-off event is the big festive introduction into the two-day-long Start:up weekend. It will take place on Friday, 23 October starting at 19 o'clock in the Big hall of the Regional museum in Maribor castle. The festive opening, where we will present the Start:up Maribor programme, key stakeholders and, most importantly, the teams that applied, will be followed by evening networking at the Start:up after-party in a pleasant atmosphere.

The participants will also be addressed by the mayor of the Municipality of Maribor, which is the main partner and financier of the Start:up Maribor programme. The intro event will be followed by the startup weekend on Saturday and Sunday, where teams will polish their business model, introduction and product. They will also pitch to the expert committee at the DEMO day. The expert committee will then decide who will enter the intense month-long Start:up Maribor Tour programme.

Start:up weekend

Start:up weekend will take place on Saturday and Sunday, 24 and 25 October, in Venture Factory facilities.

Registered business teams will spend the weekend polishing their business model, pitch and product with help of excellent mentors.

The event will be moderated and led by Matej Golob – computer scientist who had been dragged into the world of economics and finance. Runner and prominent can-do individual. Obsessed with TED talks since 2007, co-organizer of TEDx events since 2009. Matej, co-founder of 30Lean startup, has always been excited about new, original and worthwhile ideas. In his free time, he helps them spread in the form of TEDx events, and in his professional time, he helps them develop, test and pivot by offering Lean Startup mentoring. He played an active role in translating the book Running Lean into Slovenian (Delaj vitko) – he and his team wanted to introduce »lean« methodologies as an ideal tool for managers, small entrepreneurs, developers, programmers and everyone wishing to launch their business project.

At the end of the weekend, the teams will pitch their ideas to the expert committee at the DEMO day. The committee will then decide who will enter the month-long Start:up Maribor Tour programme.

DEMO evening and selecting startups for the TOUR

The DEMO evening will take place on 25 October in the evening after the Start:up weekend ends and all startups registered for the Start:up Tour pitch in front of the expert committee. The committee, consisting of at least 5 members, will decide who will enter the intense month-long Start:up Maribor Tour programme.

The expert committee will decide in accordance with the following assessment criteria and score sheet (35 points are possible altogether):

1. Assessment of the team's potential and competence (maximum number of points = 10)
An interdisciplinary team covers development (engineering part), design (form and use of the product) and marketing (sales skills and knowledge). The team members show commitment to realizing the project.

2. Understanding the problem (maximum number of points = 5)
The startup clearly understand the problem of a customer segment. In order to understand the problem well, the team has a clearly defined process of customer discovery in the form of interviews, landing pages or other methods. They have an action plan for implementation.

3. The solution, unique value proposition, unfair advantage (maximum number of points = 5)
The startup has a clearly defined solution (set minimal product or service characteristics) that’s already in the actualization phase (prototype, sketches, ...). The startup has a clear action plan for checking the suitability of the solution based on user problem(s). The unique value proposition is clearly articulated and the unfair advantage is clearly defined and justified (core competence, protected IP, first-mover advantage, trade secrets, specific knowledge, network of connections, experience in the industry, ...)

4. Customer segment and channels (maximum number of points = 5)
Startup has clearly defined customer segments and detailed profiles of early evangelists.

5. Revenue streams, costs and key indicators (maximum number of points = 2,5)
The startup has clearly and realistically defined potential revenue streams. The key indicators are clearly defined (useful, accessible and offering a clear overview) and completely in accordance with the industry.

6. Development stage (maximum number of points = 5)
The startup developed a prototype, carried out testing with the target public or made any other pilot research for the product/service.

The committee will invite 5 highest-scored startups into the intense month-long programme. In case more than five startups obtain more than 18 points, the committee can decide to invite additional startup companies into the programme.